Natsu and Happy immediately saw a giant transparent sphere upon entering the chamber, while a large clock on the wall emitted a mechanical voice announcing, "Eleven minutes remaining until Jupiter launch."
"That seems to be a Magic Lacrima collecting magic power," Happy remarked while looking at the enormous crystal glowing with energy.
"This is my first time seeing such a huge Magic Lacrima," Natsu expressed his surprise at the crystal towering over him.
"The Magic Convergence Cannon doesn't actually fire bullets, it launches compressed magical power! That's why it's so powerful!" Happy explained urgently.
"I don't understand what you're saying, but anyway, we just need to destroy this place, right?" Natsu asked, showing his confusion.
"I won't let you succeed," a male voice interrupted them.
"There's a guard!" Both Happy and Natsu turned toward the voice.
"That doesn't matter, we just need to get rid of whoever's in our way, right?" Natsu wrapped his right fist in flames and leaped down from above with a powerful swing whiled shouted.
"There's no time left! Get out of my way!"
However, just as Natsu was about to reach him, his right fist involuntarily struck his own face, sending him flying backward.
"Natsu, what are you doing?" Happy hovered in the air, watching Natsu with concern.
"That's not it! My body isn't listening to me!" Natsu adjusted his posture mid-air and landed steadily, narrowing his eyes at the man before him—pineapple-shaped hair, a black mark in the middle of his face, and carrying a katana.
"Ten minutes remaining until Jupiter launch."
"Get out of my way! I'm definitely destroying that Magic Lacrima!"
"Didn't I say it? I won't let you succeed," the guardian replied calmly. "I'm Totomaru of the Element 4, responsible for controlling fire elements."
"So you're one of the 'Flavor Five Element' group?"
"Natsu, it's Element 4! You only got the 'Element' part right," Happy complained from behind Natsu.
"All flames in the world are under my control," Totomaru declared proudly with one hand on his hip.
"Whether it's enemy fire or natural fire, all flames belong to me."
"What are you talking about? My flames are obviously my own!" Despite suffering several setbacks, Natsu refused to back down.
"Natsu, stop arguing about such trivial matters! Destroy the Magic Lacrima first!" Happy fretted anxiously behind him.
As Happy reminded him, the announcement came again.
"9 minutes remaining until Jupiter launch."
"Take this—Blue Fire!"
Totomaru unleashed a wave of cold blue flames, but watching Natsu swallow the fire effortlessly, he nodded thoughtfully and said.
"So you're the legendary Dragon Slayer Mage, Natsu the Salamander? Seems we're both unlucky, for fire doesn't work on either of us."
"Stop talking nonsense! You haven't even been hit by me yet!" Natsu clenched his fists angrily.
"I told you, fire is ineffective against me," Totomaru crossed his arms and shook his head before taking a stance to control Natsu's flames again.
"Orange Fire!"
"Didn't you just see? Fire is my food," Natsu unceremoniously ate the orange flames.
"SO SMELLY!" Natsu shouted while tears streamed from his eyes.
Natsu's mouth suffered inhuman abuse, for he didn't know how to describe the taste of the stinking Orange Fire, it was just too foul!
"I'm done playing around, time to get serious," Natsu bared his teeth excitedly at Totomaru.
It was time to demonstrate his rigorous physical training and martial arts, so this time, Natsu didn't use any flames, simply charging forward quickly to engage in close combat with punches and kicks.
"Oh? Giving up on using fire? In that case, I have the advantage with my sword, right?" Totomaru performed two backflips to dodge Natsu's attacks before jumping onto a high platform, looking down from above.
Totomaru drew the katana from his waist and leaped high to slash at Natsu.
"Oh? you're petty fast," Natsu hooked his right finger, gesturing for Totomaru to continue.
During the fight, Natsu bent backward with both hands supporting him on the ground and kicked away Totomaru's katana with one foot.
The katana spun through the air toward the Magic Lacrima storing magical power, embedding itself into the crystal and creating a crack.
"What a pity, for that level of attack can't destroy this huge Magic Lacrima," Totomaru sneered.
Natsu couldn't be bothered to explain his plan; first, he kicked Totomaru away in close combat, then turned and ran toward the Magic Lacrima, leaping high to deliver a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist directly to the lacrima.
...
Outside the Moving Castle—
"Look! The magic cannon's turret!"
Some Fairy Tail members noticed the castle's turret beginning to crumble and explode from the inside.
"Jupiter has been successfully destroyed!!!"
...
Inside, the damage to the Magic Lacrima completely destroyed the room.
Totomaru jumped onto a pile of rubble, wiping blood from his lip, and said.
"What a reckless guy."
Meanwhile, on the ground, the battle raged on.
"Thank you, Cana," Bisca said, as she hadn't noticed the Phantom Soldier attacking from behind, but fortunately Cana stopped it with a card spell.
"Stay focused and hang on a bit longer, Bisca," Cana replied, knowing it wasn't easy for Bisca to use her magical power continuously like this.
"We must protect the Guild! Ice Make: Snow Blossom!" Ur kept cheering on the Guild members while freezing enemies.
"Those seriously injured, return to the Guild!" Makarov was also participating in the battle, having originally planned to deal with Jose personally, but Raizel insisted he would handle Jose, so Makarov decided to trust him.
Makarov narrowed his eyes, watching the magical fluctuations coming from the main hall of the moving castle.
'It seems they're still fighting.'
...
Phantom Lord Mobile Castle (Main Hall)—
"See? I told you Jupiter wouldn't fire," Raizel said to Jose, whose expression kept shifting between shame and rage.
Just 30 seconds before Jupiter was about to fire, Natsu had managed to destroy the Magic Lacrima and ruin the magic cannon.
"You damn brats, getting all full of yourselves! Giant, Activate!" Jose commanded.
"Elemental stability confirmed. Mages in hazardous areas please evacuate immediately!"
"Activate support structure!"
Broadcasts played inside the moving castle as the fortress began to transform, gears grinding loudly.
"Hehehe, Jupiter's taken care of, so now it's your turn," Natsu said excitedly while staring at Totomaru inside the ruined chamber.
"Wh-what's happening? What's going on?"
The ground beneath Natsu's feet began to tilt violently.
Totomaru braced himself against the wall to maintain balance, looking somewhat panicked.
"Are they planning to use the Giant? It's impossible to maintain level ground here!"